Bhubaneswar: As part of a special enforcement and awareness drive, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and its SHINE team conducted an extensive inspection of food stalls at the ongoing Khandagiri Mela Tuesday to ensure food safety and hygiene standards.
During the drive, officials inspected 70 eateries operating within the mela premises.
The inspection uncovered multiple violations of food safety norms, including spoiled food, expired products, and items containing synthetic colours.
Around 60 kilograms of such unsafe food were immediately seized and discarded to prevent health hazards to visitors.
In addition to enforcement, the team focused on raising awareness among vendors.
Around 70 stalls were inspected, and their operators were educated on safe food handling, the risks of using synthetic colours, proper storage methods, and the importance of maintaining cleanliness at their establishments.
Officials warned vendors against repeating such violations and urged strict compliance with food safety regulations, emphasising that serving unhygienic or expired food could invite legal action.
“We will conduct these drives regularly to detect stale food and create awareness among eateries at the fair to prevent the sale of unsafe food,” said BMC food safety officer Satyajit Patel.